Girl Scout's Lemonade Day success reaches Bangladesh

Contributed photo
Mayor Nelda Martinez pours water for a batch of lemonade on May 5 at the stand operated by Girl Scout Elizabeth Schmidt and her friend Justin Kar. Chamber of Commerce Director Foster Edwards looks on. The stand’s $446 profit is being donated to Justin’s uncle to help pay for removal of a brain tumor.

“Life is more valuable than money,” said Elizabeth, who is a Girl Scout. “I like to help other people, and this really gave me a motivation to work to make sure his life is a good one.”

Elizabeth, Justin and two other friends worked 12 hours in three locations May 5 to sell more than 30 gallons of lemonade on Lemonade Day.

“It caught me off guard,” said Elizabeth’s mother, Lisa Schmidt. “She was very compelled to help, and I’m really proud of her compassion.”

Elizabeth is one of about 1,300 youths who registered to put the squeeze on citrus during the area’s first Lemonade Day. Her friend’s uncle, Kiranesh Bandhu Deb, is a schoolteacher in Bangladesh, which does not have the system of medical insurance as in the United States. Patients must be able to pay before surgery.

Many generous donations came from Lemonade Day, an entrepreneur inspiring event, organizers said.

Flour Bluff Elementary School had significant support, with 95 students operating 62 locations. The majority of their collective $5,773.32 profit benefited several charitable organizations, organizers said.

Participant Joseph Jenkins donated $280 to the Ronald McDonald Foundation on Friday after his successful sale.

Not all stand operators reported their results, but of those who did, the average profit was $151.48, for an average operation of five hours, according to Corpus Christi Chamber of Commerce.

“We are planning it as an annual event,” said Stephanie Knox with the Chamber of Commerce. “It’s something we’re very excited and proud to do.”